School in Orrington in 'soft lockdown' due to police situation

ORRINGTON, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Maine State Police and Penobscot Sheriffs Deputies remained at the scene of a standoff on Johnson Mill Road in Orrington Wednesday morning that began Tuesday afternoon and prompted the lockdown of a nearby school.

Penobscot Sheriff's deputies say that a man made a threatening call to police at about 1:30 Tuesday afternoon and then locked himself inside his home on Johnson Mill Road.

Authorities believe the man may be armed. Maine state police, Penobscot County Sheriff's Deputies, Bangor Police, and Brewer Police responded to the scene.

Because the man's home is close to Center Drive School. The school was placed on what's known as a soft lockdown Tuesday where all doors were locked and no one was allowed in. The school also canceled after school activities.

As a precaution a. Number of neighbors were not allowed to return to their homes including Ryan Albert.

"We got a place to go tonight but we got puppies inside there," Albert said. "They've been in there for a while so we're trying to get them to escort us over there but they won't let anybody near the area right now so I guess it's still a danger zone."

As of Wednesday morning authorities sounded like they were trying to communicate with the man using a bullhorn. We will continue to update this story.

this is very much an active scene we're hoping to get an update from authorities soon as they work toward a peaceful end to this stand off for now in Orrington Chris Facchini news center Sent from my iPhone

The Center Drive School in Orrington is in a "soft lockdown" due to a police situation.

A school official tells NEWS CENTER kids at the school are going home at their regular time, but that the lockdown is in effect. A soft lockdown means that the doors at the school are locked and nobody can enter, but kids are being released.

Parents tell us that Johnson Mill Rd. near the school is also blocked off. There's no word yet on what type of situation is ongoing.